Birmingham Dances Into Scholarship

May 6, 2020
By: Bill Conger

D.C.H.S. Senior Nick Birmingham is dancing on Cloud 9 after his campus audition at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. Competing against 200 students, Birmingham prevailed to win a full tuition scholarship.

Birmingham was only 9-years old when he saw a dance routine in Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” music video playing on a display TV in Walmart.

“I liked how the background dancers were moving and was intrigued by their skills” says Birmingham.

Inspired by the dancers, Birmingham signed up for his first Hip-Hop lesson at The Centre School of Dance in Cookeville during their summer intensives.

“It was more than what I anticipated. It was filled with a bunch of Hip-Hop moves that I thoroughly enjoyed, but it was also filled with glorifying God though dance!”

“Nicholas is a very talented dancer and choreographer,” said Andrea and Caleb Camacho, owners of The Centre School of Dance, and Nicholas’s instructors. “We are honored to have been a part of his journey this far and are excited to see what the future holds for him! We are very proud of him and wish him all the best as he heads to Belhaven.”

In the beginning Nick hesitated because he thought perhaps that it was “too girly” for him.

“What allowed me to move past these inhibitions was that I was surrounded by a bunch of girls, and I loved dance so much that other peoples’ opinions did not faze me the more I invested my time in dance.”

Over the last 8 years Nicky B, his stage name, has expanded his dance repertoire to include Ballet and Modern/Jazz.

“There was a teacher (Ms. Monica) who introduced me to ballet during a production of “The Nutcracker,” and from that moment on, I fell in love with ballet.

“Nicholas Birmingham doesn’t just think outside of the box – he will dance all over it. I love that about him!” says Monica Harris. He has great passion for dance, an exceptional hunger for knowledge and always gives a hundred and ten percent. From the first time I worked with Nicholas, I knew, this young man will do great things wherever he goes. Belhaven will have a true asset in Nicholas Birmingham.”

“As for the dance style “Modern/Jazz,” I loved the worship aspect so much from The Centre that I wanted more,” adds Birmingham.

He joined “The Company” dance group there after signing up for the “Modern/Jazz” class.
Practicing 12 hours over five days each week keeps the senior on his toes working to become better. He can also do musical theater and tap dancing styles.

“The most challenging thing that I am still working on is flexibility. Dance demands flexibility for certain movement, which I did not have when I started Ballet and Modern/Jazz. Dance was a huge learning curve for me and is still challenging because I am constantly learning new techniques every day, which is a wonderful thing.”

“What I love about dance is the friends that I have made and the security of what we do there without being condemned for glorifying God though dance. My emotions are most certainly utilized through dance, and it helps me portray my feelings to the audience so that they understand what the choreography means.”

Birmingham heads to college in the fall to major in dance and minor in business.

“I then would try to run my own studio so that I have the major in my background and the knowledge and the understanding of how to run a business so that I can effectively. run my own dance studio.”

May 6, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Justin Potter Library will host another Facebook Live Story Time on Friday, May 8th at 10:00 AM.

(View video below of recent Story Time)

“We look forward to visiting with everyone and connecting with the children though this special online event,” said Library Director Kathy Hendrixson.

“Please come and join us for this fun filled Story Time. Contact the library at 615-597-4359 for additional information”.

May 5, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Staying home to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic can lead to online dangers, especially for children who are out of school.

Sheriff Patrick Ray urges parents to be vigilant and offers some safety tips to help.

“Online predators are everywhere on the internet. You as a parent have the responsibility to keep your child safe. Make sure you are looking and watching what your children are participating in online. That is very important. We sometimes see children get online with someone they shouldn’t and bad things happen. We want you to be very cautious and informed what your child is watching and doing online,” said Sheriff Ray.

Keep an open communication with your child. If you see they seem upset or secretive about something they are doing online, check into it.

Watch for cyber-bullying during these times that we are in.

Make sure your child’s device is running with the latest software and anti-virus program.

Make sure the privacy settings are on.

Be sure to cover your child’s webcam when not in use. This can be done by placing a piece of colored tape over it to make sure no one can view your child.

Be cautious of free educational resources. Your child should never have to provide a photo or full name to anything. If someone is asking for a photo of your child, something is wrong with that web site.

Spend time with your child online. Help them recognize and avoid misinformation. Make sure they are looking at age appropriate content especially during this time of COVID-19 and that they are not reading false information making them think they are going to die. There are all kinds of digital information resources from credible organizations.

Encourage healthy online habits. Promote and monitor good behavior online Make sure your child is being respectful while communicating with other children or classmates.

Be mindful of what type of clothes they are wearing during video calls and have them avoid doing the video calls in a bedroom. They should be done at a kitchen table where an adult can be present, hear and see what is going on.

“We do want them to have fun,” said Sheriff Ray. “We encourage parents to have their children take advantage of any digital tools that get them up and moving. Physical activity is very good for children and adults. It lessens the chance of depression, and gets them up from sitting for long periods of time.

“Exercise videos or games that require physical movement of kids are good to use. Remember to balance online recreation with offline outdoor activities.

If you have any questions or concerns, call Sheriff Ray at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department at 615-597-4935.

“We you have a specific concern we will be glad to check it out to determine if it is something appropriate for children,” said Sheriff Ray.

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